SAN DIEGO – A U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla will be presented with a trophy commemorating their selection as the 2012 Flotilla of the Year at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Water Safety Center, at 10 a.m., Saturday.

Flotilla 9-7 was selected for the award out of 1,000 other Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas by the Boat Owners Association of The United States (Boat U.S.) for the second year in a row.

Located in the southern portion of Lake Mead Recreation Area in Cottonwood Cove, Nev., six flotilla vessel examiners worked diligently to complete 1,117 vessel safety checks, 400 more than the previous year, completed 21 safety patrols with a single patrol boat and verified the position of 33 aids to navigation.

The treacherous 67-mile stretch of water downstream of the Hoover Dam is hemmed by a sheer-walled canyon and has blistering summer temperatures as well as afternoon winds known to kick up four-footers that can smash boats against sheer cliffs and scuttle small craft. Members of Auxiliary Flotilla 9-7 provided hundreds of hours of educational outreach and recreational boating safety information to thousands of lake visitors, helping both new and seasoned boaters.

“I am extremely proud to be the District Commodore in which Flotilla 9-7 is located,” said Coast Guard District 11 South Region Auxiliary Commodore Harry M. Jacobs. “I am personally grateful to the Boat U.S. Foundation for recognizing the efforts of this proficient group of Volunteers.”

Flotilla 9-7 is in need of more members interested in volunteering to help improve boating safety. For more information about Flotilla 9-7 or joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary go to: http://cgaux.org.

SAN DIEGO – Members of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 9-7 patrol Lake Mohave, a reservoir formed by the Davis Dam on the Colorado River that defines the border between Nevada and Arizona. The flotilla is being recognized as the prestigious 2012 “Flotilla of the Year.” U.S. Coast Guard photo.